Ok, I struggled for awhile to come up with a decent subject line and that's the best I could do.

Here's my question for you guys. Have you ever had an experience with a department other than your own that left you thinking they weren't very good? I was recently in Alabama for my brothers wedding. The wedding party went out to dinner after the festivities. During dinner one of my other sister-in-laws started feeling poorly and she told my brother that she wanted to go back to the hotel. When she got up to leave she passed out, my brother caught her and lowered her to the floor. Of course I jumped up and started doing what I could while somebody called 911. When the local FD showed up I just felt like they were new to the job and didn't really know what they were doing. For instance, they totally ingnored me and the information I was trying to give them. They directed almost all of their questions to my brother and others around rather than asking my SIL who by this time was alert and oriented. One of their guys eventually got around to getting some vital signs but it was pretty late in the game by the time he did. Other than another diner at the restaurant that identified himself as a medic and gave me a hand I came away from it with a pretty low opinion of their professionalism. I'm assuming it was a paid department due to the size of the city. But that's not really pertinent since I've seen volunteers act way more professionally than these guys and provide better care.

breech

04-25-2007, 14:23

If they were in fact noobs on the job they might have had tunnel vision.

DTD2

04-26-2007, 09:46

Got a neighboring department that has burned down 3 houses this year with the improper use of PPV fans. They needed to use them to "help find the fire". The eventually found it through the roof.

breech

04-26-2007, 09:53

Originally posted by DTD2
Got a neighboring department that has burned down 3 houses this year with the improper use of PPV fans. They needed to use them to "help find the fire". The eventually found it through the roof.

LMAO! That sucks for the home owners. Ummm, which way are we supposed to point these fans? :rofl:

Skintop911

04-26-2007, 11:32

Food for thought...

What's your own level of experience and expertise?

Are they doing it well, poorly, or just differently?

What are the untold variables? How many people? How many were drinking? How "helpful" are you being? Are your efforts to help being interpreted by the rescuers as a nuisance?

Putting a third-party on hold and working it cold have merit sometimes.

Could "I'm her husband" lend a little more perception of credibility than your disclosures?

If she's alert and oriented, what's the urgency for vital signs? Many wouldn't even do them until she's in the bus.

What's the total time span of this event?

Many variables at play here...

nam02G

04-26-2007, 14:16

Skintop, interesting questions.

I've been an active volunteer for 25 1/2 years. 23 of them as an EMT-B. I've seen a lot and worked with dozens of medics from both fire and abulance services.

Their approach may only have been different but it didn't measure up to the level of care I'm used to from my department.

Not sure what you're asking about number of people. If it's in the dinner group about 15, about half drinking but nobody had more than one. My efforts were totally ignored by the responders, they never even spoke to me so I was given no chance to establish my credentials or give them any information at all. The fact that I was caring for my SIL would have been obvious to most anyone since I was the one in close proximity to her.

We never ignore a third party. Granted some are lay people but sometimes they are nurses or doctors. And even in the case of the third party being medically untrained you can get useful information from them. Especially in the case of a fainting where the patient may not remember everything that happened. I don't believe I've ever seen someone pushed aside and ignored the way I was.

Baseline vitals are very nearly automatic for me.

Skintop911

04-27-2007, 21:42

Originally posted by nam02G
Skintop, interesting questions.

Do take them as food for thought, to prompt perspective, and to help with feedback. Not a dig on you. They are important variables.

Given your answers, it sounds like your concerns may have foundation. Perhaps a call to their admin or QA people is in order? I've both made those calls and received them. Organize your thoughts, present it professionally, and see how it goes.

hotpig

04-28-2007, 08:00

Here is my thoughts. I have been doing this for twenty two years. Anytime I respond to a call at a place that has alcohol I ignore bystanders. I talk to the patient or their spouse/friend.

There seems to always be a Doctor, Nurse, EMT,or Veterinarian on the scene.If I do not know them, my first split second impression of them is what counts. If it looks or smells like you have been there for a while I'm not listening.

Speedy removal of a patient from a drinking establishment ranks up there with the ABC's. It is a lot better to deal with the patients in my environment(ambulance)than in a drinking establishment.

DScottHewitt

05-06-2007, 12:01

We seem to have a lot of "We do it better than so-and-so department" people show up around here. Which usually gets taken care of when take an EMT or FF class from the county. And EVERY agency is represented in class.

It's harder to say "I wouldn't let ________ Rescue Squad take care of my dog" once you see how well their people do in class.....

Scott

RLDS45S

05-07-2007, 10:09

Very easy to be a back seat driver! It is fun to watch how things are run in a different neck of the woods, but as it has been posted..
if ETOH is involved......
Patient is JOB #1

Tvov

05-07-2007, 16:13

I always wonder what other departments think of my departments performance "on scene". With long time members knowing how each other operates, stuff gets done while probably looking like a cluster to "outsiders".